Don't request a slice of pizza. In Italy, unless sold on the street or “al taglio” (sold in rectangular or square slices by weight), it's always round and served on a plate. 2. You cut the pizza yourself and then eat it with a knife and fork, the most common way, or fold each slice and eat it with your hands.
No need pretending, Italians very often cut of the crusts of their pizza. It is not considered offensive or wrong.
Peperone to Pepperoni
In fact, note, peppers are spelled peperoni (singular peperone), with one p, and if you order pepperoni on a pizza in Italy, you will get a pizza with peppers, since there is no pepperoni sausage.
Pizza at the restaurant in Italy is served unsliced in the great majority of cases, because this helps its presentation and flavour, preventing the runny pizza topping from leaking off the pizza base and wetting the edges. Not slicing the pizza for customers also minimizes the risk of it cooling down.
If you don't eat bread you can try to avoid the charge, but it may be awkward as bread is an essential part of Italian meals. Refusing the charge might be seen as impolite when it comes to Italian manners.
Also, unlike in most other countries, everyone gets their own pizza in Italy. Don't expect to share with your friends in this case.
Conclusion: Breaking Pasta In Italy
That's why breaking pasta in Italy is definitely a no-go but rest assured that you won't go to jail for breaking pasta. You are just breaking a tradition and a rooted cultural habit in Italy, but you are free to eat the pasta the way it's more convenient for you.
It is such a culinary sin that some people ask if it is illegal to cut pasta. The answer is no but it isn't good etiquette. In Italy, it is very common to use the spoon to taste a lot of dishes (e.g. pretty much anything that is creamy or a contains a lot of sauce).
It is considered a barbaric practice that violates the very essence of morality, humanity, culinary dignity of all Peoples and good taste. The State of Italy has also unilaterally announced that putting pineapple on pizza under any circumstances is tantamount to an Act of War under International Law.
Although there is no official pineapple on pizza law in Italy, the fascinating debate over whether or not to include this topping on a traditional Italian pizza continues to intrigue foodies worldwide.
In Italy, arguably the birthplace of pizza, pies are served uncut, so using a knife and fork to perform triangular cuts is mandatory.
It is improper to put one's hands on one's lap, or to stretch one's arms while at the table. Resting one's elbows on the table is also considered to be poor manners. Do not leave the table until everyone has finished eating. Drinking beverages other than water or wine with a meal is quite uncommon.
The Italian “Galateo”, or guidance on etiquette, or polite behaviour, suggests that you should not completely wipe your plate clean. Leaving a small amount of food on your plate at the end of a course indicates that you are someone who can be satisfied easily and that you did not arrive at the meal excessively hungry.
The reason why you should not break pasta is that it's supposed to wrap around your fork. That's how long pasta is supposed to be eaten. You rotate your fork, and it should be long enough to both stick to itself and get entangled in a way that it doesn't slip off or lets sauce drip from it.
No Spoon Twirling
It's customary to set the table with a fork, knife, and spoon, and you can use your spoon to add sauce and cheese, and then to mix the pasta. However, pasta is meant to be eaten with your fork alone – no spoons to assist.
Umbria is the only landlocked region on the Italian peninsula -- and it's known for its hearty, meat-heavy food that comes straight from the forested hills: truffles, prosciutto and sausages are among its most famous exports. And yet here on the lake, the traditional foods eschew pasta and pizza in favor of fish.
Don't ask for cheese
When you're in Italy, it's normal to want to put parmesan cheese on everything, but don't. Many chefs will serve up your food exactly how they believe it should be eaten, and will likely take offence if you think it needs something extra.
11:00pm – Midnight.
Italy – Don't mix seafood and cheese
It's important to resist asking for cheese on your frutti di mare (seafood pasta) or any other seafood dish. It's deemed very rude by locals – who believe these two were never meant to be wedded because they combat the flavours of one another.
First off, tipping in Italy is neither mandatory nor expected, but if you do decide to do so, the gesture is a very clear indicator that you appreciated the service provided.
You don't really need to bring this from home, of course — Italy does have toilet paper! — but it's a smart thing for ladies, particularly, to throw in their purses before leaving the hotel in the morning.